Nowadays we always start Sundays by going to the 6 AM mass, (there's this nice feeling I've always experienced since I was a child after hearing mass; like I'm being enveloped by a comforting warmth all day). Most of the attendees are senior couples who really dress for church. The homily is always inspiring with a hint of humor that sets our day to a great high.
Just this morning on our way to mass my husband said:
"Why was it a hassle to go to mass in our former home? It seemed like we lose the whole morning doing that." I can say the same, since this new place feels like going to mass is a breeze and we still have the entire morning ahead of us.
A leisurely breakfast follows and the rest of the day will depend on our mood. My husband would often go to the front garden and soon I would hear the sound of his cutting shears; then the scent of cut grass reaches my nose. Humm.....that smells so good and refreshing. After sometime I hear him at the backyard tending to his ornamentals, veggies and herbs.
I, on the other hand goes about inside the house putting things in order or arranging things to give it more warmth and comfort. This is also the time I fix my stuff in the closet.
In between the day's activities, I catch up a lot on my reading, run through Facebook posts, reply to emails and write my blog. I sometimes sit in front of the TV and watch whatever my husband is watching. I even put in a catnap or two whenever I feel like; I listen closely to my body and succumb to what it dictates, that way, I feel more relaxed.
After the afternoon siesta and a snack, I put on my exercise gear and walk for about an hour around the neighborhood. My view is varied, as I choose different paths every time. The sight is always interesting especially since I'm still gathering more inspiration to improve our outdoor living space, hoping to stumble upon some ideas that I have not seen on-line.
When I see many cars along the streets, it is a holiday or a weekend. On Sundays, unlike on weekdays, most of the cars are at home, their owners maybe catching up on sleep or just resting; bonding with family and preparing for another week in the "salt mines".
Families who have more than two cars leave the rest on the street. On such a day like Sunday afternoons I see guys cleaning their cars on the street while listening to blaring music from the car radio; their children are also outside playing games, biking, skate-boarding or just hanging out. A nanny or two push their ward's stroller while mommy stays put watching the entire drama unfold.
Some helpers are tending the lawn or the front yard. I enjoy looking at well-kept yards, each has its own unique style, some use a lot of stones in different colors, while others put drift wood or tree trunks and the rest are mostly grass. I slow down or even stop awhile when I reach this interesting house whose front yard is full of bonsai, the entire frontage is like a miniature "forest" of bonsai trees aligned in zigzag one after the other while their branches are touching and inter-twining. Here, let me share this shot I took.
When I pass by an old house with over-grown trees and bushes, it means that it is left behind; while in another, I see wilted plants, the grass turned brown and part of the roof is falling. Seeing a house like that makes me sad, isn't it sad to be left behind when others have moved on? Then I remember our former house and I begin to worry whether the guard is keeping the plants alive for the new owners to enjoy.
But the beautiful houses take my breath away and vanish my sadness. I see interesting front yard landscapes with rare plants, colorful foliage and flowering bushes with different textures of ground cover; just by looking makes me ten times better, maybe even a hundred. Furthermore this inspires me to work more on our outdoor living space.
Then I take deep breaths while the cool afternoon breeze brushes through me and I savor a good outdoor feeling. My steps become brisk like there's spring on my feet as I walk back home before the night falls.
"Do not let Sunday be taken away from you. If your soul has no Sunday, it becomes an orphan"-----Albert Schweitzer
Sundays are beautiful.
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